PetCo Ball Python, Chico California...This is NOT OKAY

[sunshinenorcas]

Why do these threads always turn into company bashing tirades? It's become so cliche to bash PetSmart or Petco.

Each of the two big box pet stores have to have proper animal care policies in place that ensure the health of their animals while they are in the store. They wouldn't be in existence if they didn't (or at least not nearly as successful). Ultimately, though, most people do not work for a company - they work for either themselves or their management team. It is up to the employees, and of course the managers, in the store to ensure that policies are followed. If an animal, such as the one pictured in this thread, isn't being cared for it's typically not the company's fault - it's the store's fault for not following the policies put in place. Similarly, I've been in many PetSmarts and Petcos that do a GREAT job taking care of their animals. But, even a well cared for animal from these stores get posted about in a negative tone as if proper care was done by accident.

Honestly, I'm not really sure if I'm going anywhere with this. I guess I'm just getting sick of the mob mentality against the very places that bring a majority of new snake owners to our hobby.

Eric

I got Tali from PetSmart and while there were things I wasn't SUPER fond of (co habbing for the balls mostly, and the size of the tortoise enclosure) it was things that the employee said point blank it was out of his control and they had to set the display up a 'certain way' otherwise he got in trouble. But other then that, their animals seemed happy and I haven't had an issue with Tali. She's calm, sweet and eats like a pig and seems to be pretty healthy other then being a tad underweight (they were feeding fuzzies, I mentioned to the employee that small mice was a better size for babies and he was like OH). IDK if its a policy thing as well, or he just didn't know- he wasn't the 'reptile guy' and was asking ME lots of question about their care and habibats. So yeah. That store may just be a really good one though- I didn't feel bad about making the purchase there. It's not something I'd recommend someone else to do blindly though. (And also, I got Tali as a pet, not as a breeder, so her genetics aren't super important to me- that being said, next time I will probably end up getting one from a breeder, or the local shop or rescue. Just this time it worked out pretty well ) Its sort of a 'do as I say, not as I do' sort of thing, but again- I felt pretty comfortable with the store and its employees. It was really cute, I was talking about what I was planning for husbandary with the reptile guy they had and he was like '...you need to go home with this snake. please take her.' xD apparently I passed the test?

That being said, all the PetCo's I've been in have been pretty subpar to the PetSmarts. I'm sure there are good ones out there, but I wouldn't get an animal from one.